faith-filled friday: Waiting in Faith

Welcome back to another #faithfilledfriday. Thank you for joining me today! I hope you had a great week and woke up today in exhalation, looking forward to a few days of rest and relaxation. I know personally, I am looking forward to putting my feet up and spending some quality time with family and friends.

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“Waiting” is a topic that has been consistent in my life for some time…and one that has been on my heart, so today we will be taking a look at the idea of waiting in faith!

Waiting can be one of the most challenging things to do when waiting on something we strongly desire or feel we really need. As a Christian, it’s easy to say that God will work it out in His timing – which he absolutely will and that’s 100% a fact – but often times, it’s not near as easy to live with and be content with that truth while waiting.

Over the years, God has worked to grow my patience through waiting. Patience has always been an area for me that was lacking. In the past few years, I have had to wait on many test results, wait on finding a surrogate, wait on IVF cycles, wait on pregnancy/beta tests, wait on foster care classes to begin, wait on license approval…and currently, I am waiting alongside a handful of family and friends, currently trudging through various trials and “messes”, as they wait for God’s will to unfold.

In hindsight, it does not surprise me that God has allowed me to wait on so many occasions, as He knows me better than I know myself and He knew what I needed to grow and be fruitful. Perhaps you are currently waiting on something in your life and wondering the purpose or point of your waiting…and your patience is quickly running out and frustration is moving in.

When God allows us to wait, it certainly is as much a test of faith as it is a test of patience.

What I’ve learned through my impatience and waiting…is that impatience = a need for control. When we wait impatiently on God, we are basically saying, “God, really…it’s me who needs to be in control. The idea I have for my life is a great idea and your will is inferior. Please just give me what I want, when I want it because I know best.”

Can you relate to that? I know I can…I know I’ve felt that my ways and ideas in MY timing are far more desirable than whatever God was planning. But I know, that when I’ve had that attitude in my life…I’ve made a mess of it.

The Bible tells us in Jeremiah 29:11,

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

You may have read this verse many times before…but read it again.

The Lord KNOWS your future…He has plans to prosper you, NOT to harm you.

You don’t have to have it all figured out. You don’t have to be in control.

Because HE DOES and HE IS.

His hopeful future for you is that you will spend it with him in eternity. And there is nothing in this world superior to that.

When you let your mind wrap around this truth, you can move from waiting impatiently to waiting in faith. From waiting in frustration to waiting with a patient anticipation.

I typically end all of my blogs with “His will, His way…” This has become a saying of mine to myself…a quick reminder when waiting. His will, His way…because that’s the truth. He will work all things out according to His will, according to His timing…in the exact way that He has designed and determined…FOR. OUR. GOOD.

When I take a step back from my waiting…and I am reminded that it is for my good, it is because God has something amazing in store, because He is in control so that I don’t have to be…I am able to remove my frustration and replace it with patient anticipation…and through my patient anticipation, my faith grows stronger in God, knowing that His will is always good!

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What are you waiting on today? Have you been waiting in frustration or in patient anticipation? Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #faithfilledfriday Thanks for joining me today! See you next Friday!

Lisa, your words ALWAYS hit home for me. Thank you for sharing what God has placed on your heart. Know that you are making a difference in many lives – even when they don’t reply! Love you lots!! Aunt Jamie